Struggle With Procrastination? Avoid the News & Protect Your Emotional Energy.
This is part of my How to Stop Procrastinating series.
Hey, friends!
Momentum is the antidote to procrastination. It’s that feeling, “I’m actually making progress here. Let’s keep going.” With momentum, we can accomplish anything.
One thing that destroys momentum is paying attention to the news.
Here’s why: Today’s news, or infotainment, has the perfect blend of drama, fear, and outrage. All of these create uncertainty and anxiety.
Who works toward big audacious goals when the world might end at any moment?
I certainly don’t!
Here’s an embarrassing example: During the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, I allowed the news to destroy my afternoons and my momentum.
Every day, I watched a press briefing with lunch. Steamed rice, vegetables, soy sauce, and a briefing were my go-to meal. I consumed national briefings (I love drama) and local ones (I want to feel informed).
Afterward, I watched briefings from California and New York—they had the most cases, the most bodies, and the most drama. (Did I mention I love drama?)
Live briefings gave me the thrill of something happening right now. But I actually preferred recorded ones, watching at 2X speed. (This gave me time for moar briefings.)
I also indulged in the endless commentary and the commentary on the commentary.
But all of this exhausted me. I felt overwhelmed by what was happening; I felt uncertain about the nation’s health and economy and future; I felt outraged over leaders’ inconsistent responses and bizarre antics.
And yet I couldn’t do anything about it. I couldn’t stop the pandemic; I couldn’t fix the economy; I couldn’t change leaders’ behavior (or swap them out for better ones).
Daily press briefings filled me with dread, and I felt helpless and hopeless. Is it any wonder I was unmotivated to work after lunch? Is it any wonder I procrastinated?
It was impossible to build momentum at work with this maelstrom of negative feelings. The rational part of my little brain knew this was taking a toll. (Yes, there’s a rational side I occasionally listen to.)
So one day, I just stopped. Stopped the daily briefings; stopped the never-ending commentary. I took an emotional break from it all.
Immediately, I felt better—well, not better—but I felt less bad about the world. My mood improved, as expected. Surprisingly, my productivity skyrocketed within a couple of days. With less negative energy swirling inside me, building momentum was actually possible.
These days, I’m careful with the news I consume. I strive to avoid it before dinner. If I’m honest, I still glance at headlines from time to time. My little brain still craves drama and excitement. But I’m mindful of this, and I protect my time and energy.
And that’s my advice to you: Protect your emotional energy. Don’t let infotainment destroy your mood during work hours.
When listening to briefings or broadcasts or pundits, ask:
1. Will this help me achieve my goals?
2. Am I just looking for drama?
Spend less time looking for cheap thrills and more time working toward big goals. Focus on what’s in your circle of control, and strive to ignore everything else.
Do this for a year, and you’ll be amazed at what you accomplish.
Read more on How to Stop Procrastinating.
Thanks to Brynn Stewart for reading a draft of this!